Wesley Medical Center Names Phebe Mckay Chief Nursing Officer

Hattiesburg, MS – Phebe Mckay, RN, BSN, has joined the administrative team at Wesley Medical Center as Chief Nursing Officer.  Mckay comes to Hattiesburg from Medical Hospital of South Dallas, where she served as interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Nursing Officer.  She has nearly 25 years of clinical experience and has worked in administrative roles for more than 20 years. 

“I’m very excited to welcome Phebe to Hattiesburg,” said Michael Neuendorf, Wesley Medical Center Chief Executive Officer.  “We’re quite fortunate to have found someone with her experience to lead our clinical team.”

Mckay was drawn to the nursing profession early in life when, during a brief hospital stay as a child, she was impressed with the nursing staff who cared for her.  After earning her RN certification at Pensacola Junior College and Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of West Florida, Mckay began her career in her home state of Florida.  She has since worked in Kentucky, Missouri and Texas and remains very happy with her career choice.  “I can’t imagine doing anything else,” said Mckay.  “When young people ask me what they should do I always have nursing at the top of the list.  Nursing is one of the most versatile careers and has more opportunities than many other career choices.”

Though her decision to become a nurse was based on her own very personal experience, Mckay didn’t fully realize the impact of her work upon others until a chance conversation a few years into her career.  “I was in a store and an individual walked up to me.  She called me by my name and talked to me about the death of her dad,” said Mckay.  “She told me that I had been a blessing to their family throughout the time their dad was hospitalized.  The way I thought about patient experiences and my interactions changed after that conversation.”  Mckay said she then began to truly understand the ways in which healthcare professionals can positively affect the lives of their patients.  “Nurses experience some of the most intimate and personal experiences in individual lives,” she said.  

With the importance of her role in the lives of others clear, Mckay chose Wesley Medical Center because of a shared commitment to excellence in serving the needs of individual patients.  “I was impressed with the leadership team and the staff at Wesley.  I felt the positive atmosphere during my visit here and was excited to be selected to join such a dynamic team,” she said.

For more information on Wesley Medical Center and its available services, please call 601-268-8000.